When tracing the history of hip-hop, one will find an overarching consensus among non-supporters that generally vilifies the genre. Between mass marketing of overindulgence and the media's hype of criminal behavior, mainstream's tunnel vision of hip-hop culture has unfairly perpetuated a bad rap for this genre.
It is certainly a loss for those who do not investigate beyond such stereotypes, for at its core hip-hop exemplifies the antithesis of its misconceptions. A culture built upon creative collaboration, DIY ethics, musical reinvention and progress, hip-hop is, for many of its supporters, a source of inspiration, a channel through which poetry and rhythm join forces as a means of release.
Like most music styles, the course of time has brought evolution within hip-hop's niche, a reflection of artistic diversity and points of view. Hybrids and crossovers between music genres are ever-increasing, proving both an expansion of listening tastes and hip-hop's relevance to broader audiences.
Such developments are apparent in Gainesville's hip-hop community. This Friday at The Atlantic, CYNE and Scum of the Earth, two of Gainesville's finest hip-hop groups, will join forces along with rock group The Future Now and pop punk group Dikembe for a night of highly anticipated performances.
Formed in 2000, CYNE (an acronym for "Cultivating Your New Experience" and pronounced "sine") has received national acclaim for its consistently solid discography. Mixing hip-hop beats and jazz progressions while delivering lyricism ranging from party anthems to philosophical musings, CYNE's two emcees, Akin and Cise Starr, and two producers, Enoch and Speck, regularly push the limits of their musical categorization.
One look at The Atlantic show's Facebook event page proves Gainesville's loyal following of the group, as the wall is saturated with comments of fans' praise and excitement for the performance. Yet even with this apparent popularity, CYNE's sense of community within the local hip-hop scene is steadfast.
Scum of the Earth deejay Bobby Harper's explanation of how The Atlantic show's bill came together further attests to the Gainesville hip-hop's seamless interaction with musicians from other genres.
"My friend Dave (Enoch from CYNE) suggested that we should do a show together soon because they haven't played in a while and were interested in playing more shows," Harper said. "The dudes from Dikembe are friends of ours and we thought it'd be fun to play with them. Dave suggested Future Now and they were into it."
Harper and emcee friend Jamie Garvey formed Scum of the Earth, a dynamic mesh of sample-scratching groundwork overlain with fiercely brash yet deliberately witty lyricism, in 2005 after their first group, Robotix, disbanded.
"I don't think we had any particular intentions [when we formed Scum of the Earth]," Harper said, "but we knew it was going to be more personal and less lighthearted than Robotix. It just naturally became what it is."
Like CYNE, Scum of the Earth is widely recognized for performing with both bands and other hip-hop groups. From house shows to Gainesville's annual Fest, Harper and Garvey have established a plentiful following thanks to their solid work ethic and willingness to reach out to audiences who might otherwise be overlooked by hip hop performers.
Emphasizing the importance of community support for local music, Harper's outlook is quite encouraging for those looking to become involved in what Gainesville has to offer. He suggests paying gvillelyricistlounge.com a visit for an excellent resource of the local hip-hop scene, but more importantly stresses the patronage of live music, the fuel for the fire.
"Come to the show!" he exclaimed. "And support local hip-hop and local music in general."
